Sylvester Stallone is one of Hollywood’s most prized action stars who is still pulling audiences with amazing films in the genre. The actor has given three action franchises that have collected millions of dollars and have been an irreplaceable part of pop culture.
Stallone’s Rocky franchise is one of the most beloved franchises. The franchise has been running strong for more than four decades with six films and three spin-off films. While some of the films have not received equal love from the fandom, Rocky IV is considered to be one of the better films in the franchise. Recently, Stallone revealed that he regrets one creative decision he took in the film.
Sylvester Stallone’s Legacy In The Rocky Franchise
Before Sylvester Stallone became a household name with the Rambo and Rocky franchise, he was a struggling actor who could not make ends meet. Stories of him being homeless and having to star in softcore p*rn films are what make him one of the biggest success stories in Hollywood. After struggling for years, Stallone wrote the screenplay of Rocky in three days, taking inspiration from a legendary boxing match with Muhammad Ali.
He sold his screenplay on the condition that he should be starring in the film. The sports drama was an instant hit, earning over $225 million worldwide against a $960,000 budget. The film propelled Sylvestor Stallone to global stardom and the locations in the film have become cultural landmarks. Stallone received the honor of being installed in the Boxing Hall of Fame.
Rocky spawned five more films centered on Stallone’s Rocky Balboa and even led to the spin-off Creed trilogy. Rocky II was released in 1979 and saw a rematch between Apollo Creed and Rocky Balboa. The film was lauded upon release and is regarded among the best in the franchise. Rocky III, however, did not receive the same fate as it received mixed reviews. But, the film’s original song ‘Eye of the Tiger’ has gained immense popularity as a motivational song. The last three films have received mixed reviews, with Rocky V considered one of the worst of the franchise.
Sylvester Stallone’s One Regret In Rocky IV
After the criticisms of Rocky III, the fourth film was considered to be a return to form for the franchise. Rocky IV featured Dolph Lundgren as the antagonist Ivan Drogo, a Russian boxer who is out for Rocky Balboa. The film was appreciated for its Cold War allegories while also being criticized for being an American propaganda film.
However, Sylvester Stallone revealed that he had one regret when it came to the film. In Rocky IV, Drogo has an exhibition match with Apollo Creed, played by Carl Weathers who agrees to prove his patriotism. Underestimating his strength, Apollo gets quite a beating from Drogo and eventually dies in the ring. Rocky, who has trained Creed for the match, witnesses this and then challenges Drogo for a match.
Stallone, who wrote and directed the film, mentioned in a Rocky IV documentary that he wished he did not kill off Creed in the film. Talking about his decision he said,
“It was foolish. I thought I needed that kind of springboard to project the drama on this really great powerful velocity forward… [If Apollo had survived], we would have seen a different side of him.”
While the death is one of the most heart-wrenching moments in the series as Stallone holds Creed’s lifeless body, changing the scene would have also opened many possibilities. Stallone addresses this,
“He could have opened up to all these other things that we didn’t even know about because he’s now in a wheelchair. And he would have kind of been a father figure, mentor, brother. It would have been really great.”
The franchise’s spin-off series, the Creed trilogy sees Apollo’s son Adonis don boxing gloves and being trained by Rocky Balboa, who acts as a mentor to him. Apollo’s survival could have led to a more dramatic father-son storyline in the Creed films.